Turkish Arms Exports in Jan-Nov Up by 20%

THINK TANK

Turkish tanks and aircraft take part in a parade marking the 91st anniversary of Victory Day in Ankara on Aug. 30, 2013. (Adem Altan / AFP via Getty Images)​

ANKARA — Turkey’s defense exports in the first 11 months of 2014 rose by a sharp 20 percent from the same period in 2013, an umbrella group for arms exporters has said.

The Defense Exporters’ Association said Turkey’s arms exports in that period rose from US $1.225 billion to $1.472 billion, an all-time high for the Turkish industry.

November figures show that Turkey’s official target of $1.5 billion in exports for the whole of 2014 remain likely attainable. Turkish defense exports in the entire 2013 were at $1.39 billion.

The US was the largest importer of Turkish defense hardware with a total of $508 million in purchases. Other major markets were Malaysia with $109 million and the United Arab Emirates with $87 million.

Top defense and aerospace items exported by Turkey include aircraft, helicopter parts, engines, armored land vehicles, speed boats, missiles, rockets, launching platforms, light weaponry and electronic systems, including transmitters, simulators, sensors and military software, according to the association.

Yet the defense and aerospace industry makes up slightly more than 1 percent of Turkey’s total exports, reported at $144 billion in the first 11 months of 2014.

The Turkish government is targeting $25 billion in exports by 2023, the country’s centennial. By the same year, Turkey also targets to have “at least three global defense brands.” ■​